NLCS: Cardinals edge Dodgers in 13-inning opener

Reuters

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Cardinals beat the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 in a marathon 13-inning opener of the best-of-seven National League Championship Series on Friday with Carlos Beltran playing the starring role.

After almost five hours of action, Beltran lined a single to right off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen to score Daniel Descalso and end the taut contest in the bottom of the fourth extra inning.

The right fielder, who has made a habit of rising to the occasion in the postseason, also drove in the Cardinals' first two runs in the third inning and kept the Dodgers from taking the lead in the 10th by throwing a runner out at the plate.

"Today was a good game," Beltran said in an interview after his winning hit. "That's what it's all about. We didn't want to lose, they didn't want to lose."

The Cardinals used seven pitchers in the game, with Lance Lynn earning the win. Los Angeles, which squandered several scoring opportunities in the late innings, used six.

Game Two is in St Louis on Saturday afternoon with rookie Michael Wacha scheduled to start for the Cardinals against 2011 Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers.